Using this configuration http://pastebin.com/j7B3JL4N X will not start, giving me the error "No screens found", with nothing else useful (no warnings or errors) in the log.

The first was generated with X -configure, the second was simply edited from that, to remove all the clutter.

I am not using a kernel compiled with modeset for the Intel driver. If I compile with modeset, then the display turns blank while booting after the driver gets loaded, hence I cannot use this.

The BIOS allows me to disable Optimus and only use the Intel device (or just the NVIDIA device). I have tried both with "Optimus" and with "Integrated only" (Intel). Both give the same result as stated above. I do not want to even try with NVIDIA only, as this will consume a prohibitively large amount of current.

I have gotten this to work before, both with Intel only and NVIDIA only, but that was in Slackware. It seems like there is some additional obstacle to getting this to work in Gentoo.

Question 1: Why does the display freeze when exiting X with the first configuration, and how can this be fixed?

Question 2: Why doesn't the second configuration even start X at all? What is the difference between the two?

I am using a kernel configuration known to work with Slackware for the same computer, but with the modeset turned off. I have the latest BIOS. There are no other known issues with the system. I am using a fresh Gentoo install.

Optimus is a 1 1/2 graphics card solution.
The Intel chip is the 1. It can both draw in the screen pixel buffer and refresh the screen from the pixel buffer.
The nVidia chip is the half. It can only draw in the screen pixel buffer. It cannot refresh the screen.

This means that you always have to use the Intel chip to put an image on the screen, even when the nVidia chip is used to do the drawing.

Optimus is a 1 1/2 graphics card solution.
The Intel chip is the 1. It can both draw in the screen pixel buffer and refresh the screen from the pixel buffer.
The nVidia chip is the half. It can only draw in the screen pixel buffer. It cannot refresh the screen.

This means that you always have to use the Intel chip to put an image on the screen, even when the nVidia chip is used to do the drawing.

I know this. This is why I'm using the integrated device, which can actually draw the framebuffer to the display.

I don't believe you are correct that I need the Bumblebee project, why do I need this when I only have enabled the integrated graphics card in my BIOS? When I only have the integrated Intel device enabled, the computer essentially becomes a system where the discrete graphics card and Optimus does no longer exist.

The first step would be to get Intel working, then later worry about Bumblebee. Attempting to fiddle with Bumblebee prior to X even working sounds to me like a recipe for a disaster.

I know this. This is why I'm using the integrated device, which can actually draw the framebuffer to the display.

I don't believe you are correct that I need the Bumblebee project, why do I need this when I only have enabled the integrated graphics card in my BIOS? When I only have the integrated Intel device enabled, the computer essentially becomes a system where the discrete graphics card and Optimus does no longer exist.

The first step would be to get Intel working, then later worry about Bumblebee. Attempting to fiddle with Bumblebee prior to X even working sounds to me like a recipe for a disaster.

When in doubt read the FAQ, as Neddy is Correct. You need the Bumblebee:

Bumblebee FAQ wrote:

Bumblebee is a effort to make Nvidia Optimus enabled laptops work in GNU/Linux systems. Such feature involves two graphics cards with two different power consumption profiles plugged in a layered way sharing a single framebuffer.

I know this. This is why I'm using the integrated device, which can actually draw the framebuffer to the display.

I don't believe you are correct that I need the Bumblebee project, why do I need this when I only have enabled the integrated graphics card in my BIOS? When I only have the integrated Intel device enabled, the computer essentially becomes a system where the discrete graphics card and Optimus does no longer exist.

The first step would be to get Intel working, then later worry about Bumblebee. Attempting to fiddle with Bumblebee prior to X even working sounds to me like a recipe for a disaster.

When in doubt read the FAQ, as Neddy is Correct. You need the Bumblebee:

Bumblebee FAQ wrote:

Bumblebee is a effort to make Nvidia Optimus enabled laptops work in GNU/Linux systems. Such feature involves two graphics cards with two different power consumption profiles plugged in a layered way sharing a single framebuffer.

Again, why is this relevant at all when my system doesn't have Optimus, and only has the integrated graphics card?

My system actually has Optimus, but as I have stated already: I have disabled it in the BIOS, and I still have the same problem. The kernel cannot see the NVIDIA device at all, then why would I need Bumblebee? I have used the system with no problems both with and without Bumblebee, in Slackware.

The Intel driver requires Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) in the kernel.
It also requires that all other framebuffer hardware drivers be set to off.

It does not need an xorg.conf to get started either, it will auto detect your pointer, keyboard and display.
You will get a USA keyboard layout like this, which can be fixed later.
You can also add other displays, if you have more than one, support for special pointing devices and so on once xorg runs.

If you don't have anything for xorg to do when it starts,

Code:

emerge -1 twm xterm xclock

so that the default xinitrc works.

Your xorg.conf file is not a lot of use for diagnostics.
/var/log/Xorg.0.log will tell us what Xorg actually did when it tried to start compared to what you asked it to do in the xorg.conf file.
dmesg can also be useful for diagnostics

deltamalloc wrote:

I am not using a kernel compiled with modeset for the Intel driver. If I compile with modeset, then the display turns blank while booting after the driver gets loaded, hence I cannot use this.

This is exactly the symptom you get if you do not give Xorg something to do when it starts. It just hangs after a successful start at a black screen.

How do you start Xorg?
What window manager or DTE have you installed and configured?

I like your step by step approach to problem solving, building on what you know works. Keep that up, Gentoo will be your friend._________________Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

The Intel driver requires Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) in the kernel.
It also requires that all other framebuffer hardware drivers be set to off.

It does not need an xorg.conf to get started either, it will auto detect your pointer, keyboard and display.
You will get a USA keyboard layout like this, which can be fixed later.
You can also add other displays, if you have more than one, support for special pointing devices and so on once xorg runs.

If you don't have anything for xorg to do when it starts,

Code:

emerge -1 twm xterm xclock

so that the default xinitrc works.

Your xorg.conf file is not a lot of use for diagnostics.
/var/log/Xorg.0.log will tell us what Xorg actually did when it tried to start compared to what you asked it to do in the xorg.conf file.
dmesg can also be useful for diagnostics

deltamalloc wrote:

I am not using a kernel compiled with modeset for the Intel driver. If I compile with modeset, then the display turns blank while booting after the driver gets loaded, hence I cannot use this.

This is exactly the symptom you get if you do not give Xorg something to do when it starts. It just hangs after a successful start at a black screen.

How do you start Xorg?
What window manager or DTE have you installed and configured?

I like your step by step approach to problem solving, building on what you know works. Keep that up, Gentoo will be your friend.

Thank you for that confirmation.

When I compile in KMS for the Intel driver, the display turns black when my system boots (I'm assuming this happens when the driver gets loaded). I have no other framebuffer hardware drivers compiled in.

So the only way for me to get a display is to remove KMS from the kernel (or I could probably give nomodeset as an argument to the kernel when booting), but when I do this, then X will give me "No Screens Found".

Before going any further do you have a config file from Slackware? If so, spy on their config for your graphics setup and make your Gentoo config match.

I had a working xorg.conf for Intel on Slackware, but I needed to use VGA out, which forced me to switch to the discrete graphics card again, so I made a working xorg.conf for the discrete graphics card instead, and I sadly didn't keep the old one. As I mentioned I don't want to use only the NVIDIA device.

My plan is to make the Intel device work with only the Intel device visible, then enable Optimus in the BIOS, make sure it is still working, and only then install Bumblebee and try to get that working.

After compiling another kernel where I removed everything I didn't believe was needed (such as video output switching controls, laptop hybrid graphics and blacklight & lcd device support, etc) I now have the same situation as when I have Optimus enabled in ths BIOS even though I only have Intel enabled:

I can start if I specify nomodeset. If I don't specify nomodeset, the display turns black. I have no ther framebuffer devices compiled into the kernel.

When specifying nomodeset, I can start X. However when I terminate X, I do not get the console back. The display freezes in X. The system still works though, I can type commands. I dumped dmesg to a log file while the display was frozen, but it didn't contain a single error or warning, or even any relevant information (I checked it prior to starting X too).